


Whiskey

by gingercoffee



Series: Rivetra Week 2017 [7]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Rivetra Week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 03:56:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9530495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingercoffee/pseuds/gingercoffee
Summary: "All I have left for him now is this stupid blood and a picture of him getting teared apart in my mind.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> rivetra week day 7: comfort/sorrow

It was the night after another expedition. Captain Levi walked through the headquarters’ halls, trying to find his squad members. He had already found Gunter and Auruo, who were drinking whiskey with the other survivors. It had become a tradition, drinking and telling memories of their fallen comrades. Levi had already searched the lower levels of the building and was about to go up to the roof, when he pumped into Erd.

“I was looking for you. Do you know where Petra is?” Levi asked.

“She’s outside, said that she wanted to be alone. That’s all I know,” Erd answered with a sad look on his face. “Is there any whiskey left?”

Levi nodded and watched as Erd disappeared from the hallway. The captain stayed in his place for a while, thinking Erd’s words. If Petra wanted to be alone, would it be better to leave her alone. But Levi was her captain and it was his duty to make sure that everyone from his squad was fine. He took a deep breath and made his way to the roof. And there she was, leaning against the stonewall, clothes still dirty.

“Petra, it’s going to rain. Maybe you should come inside and join us?” Levi suggested and walked next to her. She didn’t react.

“Petra?”

No answer.

“Petra. I don’t want to be rude but I am your captain and I command you to answer me.”

Slowly she turned her head to look at him. Levi startled when he saw the redness of her eyes. Had she been crying and how long?

“Can I just be alone this evening?” she asked, her voice husky.

“Do you want to tell me what’s the reason behind it?” Levi requested. Petra was looking at her blood-covered hands. Levi wanted to comfort her but decided to wait her answer.

“I lost my best friend and first love today.”

It was Levi’s turn to stay quiet. Losing someone close wasn’t a new thing for him but he didn’t know how to console someone on a situation like that.

“If things had gone differently, I would have been his wife. Probably would’ve been a mother by now. And all I have left for him now is this stupid blood and a picture of him getting teared apart in my mind.” She had started to cry again.

“And it’s my fault that he’s dead. He was my best friend when we were kids. And he decided to join the army with me. He could’ve just stayed home and meet some other girl. But no, he wanted to be with me. And now he’s dead,” she sobbed, her body trembling.

“Hold me, Captain,” she whispered. Levi wrapped his arms around her and caressed her hair.

“It’s okay to cry, Petra. He knew the risks when he joined the Survey Corps. This is our life and we have to live with it, but it’s okay to cry and feel sad,” he told her and felt how her body started to relax.

“I killed the titan,” Petra mumbled against his chest. Levi chuckled and pulled her closer.

“That’s my Petra. Now what do you say if we get you clean and drink some whiskey?”

“I think that’s alright. Thank you, Captain,” she smiled and wiped her tears away.

–

Later, when they all sat together, Levi couldn’t help but wonder how strong Petra really was. There she was, the whimpering mess he had found, now smiling when Gunter told a story how he and his friend from the training squad had decided to drink a bottle of rum and ended up waking with a goat in their room. When Petra started to tell her memories, Levi looked at her and hoped that he would never have to tell how he lost the strong, copper haired women he loved.

Later on that same night Levi couldn’t sleep. He sat by his desk and stared the papers in front of him. The days after expeditions were always the hardest with endless paperwork. The alcohol made him drowsy but the headache kept him up. He sighed when he heard someone knocking the door. Probably more paperwork.

“Um, Captain, are you busy or can I come in?” Petra’s voice asked.

“You can come,” he replied and was surprised when he saw two cups in Petra’s hands.

“I just wanted to thank you. And I thought you might want some tea,” she said, placed a cup to his desk and sat on his bed.

“You always know when I need tea,” he stated, “how are you feeling?”

“I’m… fine. At least I think I am. I mean I’m still pretty drunk so maybe reality hits me in the morning,” she laughed with an anxious look on her face. “Have you ever lost someone you loved, Captain?”

Levi frowned. He had decided to keep his past to himself but something in those distressed eyes made him question his decision.

“I wouldn’t say that I’ve lost someone I loved like you have, but on my first expedition I lost two people very close to me,” he said after a moment of silence. Petra stared at her cup, looking like she had million thoughts running in her head.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she finally said, her voice sounding a bit blurry.

“You should get some sleep now,” Levi suggested. Petra glanced him, sipped her drink and was clearly thinking something.

“Captain, I know I’ve been drinking and probably will regret asking this, but could I sleep in your room?”

Levi didn’t say anything, just looked at the girl on his bed.

“Okay, I understand, that was inappropriate. I’m going to my room. Good night, Captain,” she said and stood up.

“You can stay,” Levi muttered when Petra was opening the door. She turned around with a smile on her face.

“Thank you.”

Petra made her way to the bed, undressed herself and curled up between the sheets. When Levi was sure that she was asleep, he sat on the bed and caressed her hair.

 _What a stupid old man he was_ , he thought, _to have fallen for that beautiful, drunken mess_.

He took a deep breath, lay down next to her and hoped that he would never have to mourn her death.


End file.
